CHRIST IN US -- OUR HOPE!

What impressed you about our world this week? Your spent an entire week
living in this world. I doubt that you spent seven days wearing a blind fold. I doubt you
spent seven days wearing ear plugs. I doubt you spent the entire seven days
interacting with people who make you feel good. So, what are your impressions from
this week?

If your response is, "That depends," I understand. For some it was not a typical
seven days. Because of circumstances, some had their time consumed by situations
that do not ordinarily consume their week. Some in those special circumstances were
impressed by kindness, thoughtfulness, and love. Some in those special
circumstances were impressed by grief, pain, and hopelessness.

Others who did have a typical week were impressed with a mixture of things. At
moments they were impressed with some very good, encouraging happenings. At
moments they were impressed with the rottenness of this world.

"Well, David, what about you? You lived in this world the last seven days, too.
What impressed you about this week?" For me, it was a fairly typical week. In a typical
week, usually several different things happen in my thinking and my seeing.

It is fairly common for me to stand in awe of God's mercy and love. That is not
a commentary on others, but on me. I have a sense of who I am and am not. I know
how I struggle. I know how easily my weakness trip me up. When I see God's
goodness, I know the only goodness in me are the bits and pieces that feebly reflect
God's presence. And I marvel that God could be so patient with me. And I marvel that
God could find any reason to even want me.

It is fairly common for me to be touched by the many kindness I see.
Christians constantly amaze me with their ability to care, be kind, and love unselfishly.

It is fairly common for me to be distressed by evil. There is so much pain in
people's lives, so much hate in our world, so much violence because people despise
people. This world can be a ugly place controlled by the acts of godless, selfish
people.

It is fairly common for me to feel a sense of challenge in all the opportunities I
see. There is so much need, so much potential, so many ways to show people that
there is a way to live that does not involve hate, resentment, or causing suffering.

Let me go to the heart of the matter: evil in this world attacks physical
existence.

This world has been a place of fear in every generation as far back as there has been recorded history.

The fears have not changed, and I do not think the fears will ever change.

The economic fear--"I won't have enough to take care of my needs!"

The disease fear--"Sickness will control my life!"

The abandonment fear--"I will have to face a hostile world alone!"

The death fear--"I will die!"

There has never been a time when these fears did not exist prominently.

Poverty has always been a reality.

Sickness has always been a reality.

Loneliness has always been a reality.

Dying has always been a reality.

There will never be a period in this physical world when there is no poverty,
no sickness, no abandonment, no dying.

No matter what lifestyle some people attain, those fears will be a daily
reality for most people who live in our world.

There always have been "the have and have nots."

There always will be "the have and have nots."

The purpose of life involves more than becoming a "have" or avoiding the
existence of a "have not."

Your initial reaction may be, "David, that is crazy!" but consider some realities.

On January 8, 1964 in a State of The Union address President Lyndon
Johnson declared war on poverty in this country.

Almost forty years later does this nation still have people struggling in
poverty?

I am impressed with the fact that we have proven that poverty is a very
complex reality.

You and I know the fear of poverty is a very real fear--right now!

This nation has made incredible medical advancements in the past fifty
years.

I find it equally incredible to note the prominent new diseases of today
that we had never heard of fifty years ago.

With today's astounding medical treatments, can you afford them?

Just in this country, does everyone who has genuine need for these
medical procedures have access to them?

You and I know the fear of disease is a very real fear--right now!

There are an enormous number of people in this society who deal with
abandonment issues--and they include children and elderly people.

Do you know anyone who struggles with a feeling of abandonment?

Do you know anyone who just cannot escape that feeling?

You and I know the fear of being abandoned is a very real fear--right now!

The fear of death is universal.

Accidents cause death.

Violence causes death.

Greed cause death.

War causes death.

Poverty, disease, and abandonment cause death.

Time causes death.

Nobody, absolutely nobody, beats death.

You and I know the fear of death is a very real fear--right now!

People who accepted the challenge to be Christians after Jesus' death and
resurrection confronted bigger fears and struggles than we face.

In no way is that an attempt to minimize our fears and struggles.

Our problems and struggles are quite real.

I just want us to realize that there have been many people in many ages who
faced greater demands than we face.

In every age, people make the same religious mistakes.

In the first century world, commonly people were convinced that there was a
religious key to being a person to whom God gave His approval.

They even declared what the key was.

Some said the key was having the right lineage--a person had to be a
physical descendant of Abraham through Isaac.

Some said the key was proper religious rites--doing the right thing in the
right way (even if you had no understanding of what you did) was the key
to gaining God's approval.

Some said self-denial was key to gaining God's approval (so make
yourself suffer physically for religious reasons).

Some said becoming a fanatic for God was the key to gaining God's
approval--just do weird things for religious reasons.

Paul said there is a key, but none of those are that key.

"Well, Paul, if none of those are the key, what is the key?"

Paul told the Christians at Colossae in Colossians 1:27 this was the key:
"Christ in you, the hope of glory."

I want to illustrate what Paul meant by "Christ in you, the hope of glory" in these
ways.

First, in your mind look at a sheet of paper with "Satan," "God," and "humans"
on the sheet.

"Satan" is on the lower left hand corner of the sheet.

"God" is on the upper right hand corner of the sheet.

"Humans" are in the middle of the sheet with a pull in both directions
being exerted on them.

Second, in your mind look at that same sheet of paper, but this time have a
continuous line (arrow) drawn from "Satan" to "God."

Basically Paul told
those Christians at Colossae that God was
unconcerned where you were on the line.

God's basic concern was this: which direction are you going? Are you
moving toward God or are you moving toward Satan? Are you
deliberately becoming more evil in your life, or are you reflecting more
and more of God's goodness in your life?

If you really think about these two illustrations, there is a basic problem.

It is easy for humans to move in the direction of Satan--it is really simple
to do evil.

It is hard for humans to move in the direction of God--doing God's good
when you are surrounded by evil is hard.

If it were as easy to move toward God than it is to move toward Satan,
there would be many more good people in the world.

People, of themselves, of their own strength, of their own doing have a
hard time moving toward God. Let me illustrate this fact in several ways.

It is easier to be a racist than it is to care about people not like me.

It is easier to hate the poor because some of them abuse the system
than it is to care about the poor.

It is easier to resent stealing, or adultery, or sexual perversion, or
addiction to pornography, or alcoholism, or substance abuse than it is
to care, be helpful, and extend forgiveness to such people.

It is easier to ignore the divorced person, the jobless person, the mean
person, the insecure person, the abandoned person, the defeated
person than it is to care about and help such people.

It is surely easier to live with any problem in my lifestyle than it is to
change my life style.

So where does the power to change come from? Where do we find the
power to move closer to God? Is it just up to us and our
human strength?

Paul said, "No, it is not just up to human strength."

Paul said the source of your power as a Christian is this, "Christ in
you."

I must move toward God, but I find the strength to move toward God in
Jesus Christ.

I want us to read together Paul's statement to these people, the Colossian
Christians.

As we read, I want you to notice something--see it, pay attention to it, note it.

"What? What is so important that I should pay that much attention to it?"

Note the two things:

Note what it means for Christ to be in a person.

Note that Christ is the power source.

The reading:
Colossians 3:1-17 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the
things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the
things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is
hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will
be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as
dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of
disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But
now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech
from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil
practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge
according to the image of the One who created him-- a renewal in which there is no
distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian,
Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. So, as those who have been
chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever
has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of
Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be
thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and
admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with
thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the
name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

We belong to a Savior who was resurrected from the dead. God says to us, "If I
can raise that Savior from the dead, I can use him to lead you to me."

So I ask you, which direction are you moving? Toward God? Do you know the
impossible frustration of trying alone, or do you let Christ live in you and provide the
strength?